{First Part 23} Sect. IV.
An Answer to the Third Position (deducible from an Objection raised, toward the Conclusion of the first Section) viz. That ‘tis Folly and Hipocrisy to profess our selves Members of the True Church, and yet not Believe thus, as the True Church Believes.
To this we say, we are altogether dissatisfied (especially when we consider what a Body of darkness hath entered under the Belief of this Position [we must believe as the Church believes] amongst the Professors of Christianity in the Ages past, as well as the present Day) that such language can become the mouth, or pen of any one, that professeth not only Faith in Christ, but also that such his Faith is grounded upon the Inward Manifestation and Revelation of Gods Spirit in himself [mark] we say in himself.
Those who are accounted Apostate Christians, have from such Assemblies, which they call their Church, set forth their Creeds, by which it may be known, what the Members of their Church do and ought to Believe; and since ‘tis so, that no Person is able to make out, that ever any Assembly under the Notion of the true Church, amongst the People called Quakers, have published their Creed, by which we mean a certain number of Articles of Faith, recommending them as those things which every Member of the true Church ought to believe, or else not be accounted a Member of the true Church, we cannot account it unreasonable, if any one that liketh not the Language touching Believing as the true Church Believes, should ask the Publisher thereof this Question, Hast thou not spoken this with respect to the People called Quakers, as {First Part 24} those whom thou accountest the True Church? And if so, is it not folly to talk of believing as the Church believes, when no assembly under the notion of this Church have to this day declared, and published their Creed, for the ends aforesaid? Nay, may it not further be said, we know how Papists and Protestants describe their Church, but at the day wherein that which occasions this present discourse was given forth, it was not discovered by any reputed Quakers, publickly in Print (that we know of) who or where the true Church is, with respect to visible persons, more than what is to this effect given forth by the Author, occasioning this present discourse, viz. That the People called Quakers are the Church. Wherein we do not take his meaning to be, that all called Quakers were the Church of God, but the Elect amongst them; for he also saith, the Church signifies the Elect; and so the reader is left without any certain Description who or where this Church is, with respect to visible Persons; since the Elect amongst them are not outwardly described.
For the clearing of the Truth, and the opening of the Understandings of such, as may be muddled about this matter, ‘tis with us thus to testifie:
‘Tis well known, that it pleased the Lord, to reach unto many our Consciences at the beginning of the latter Day, that hath dawned amongst us; whereby we came to Believe in the Everlasting Light of the Lord; and as others held forth the Visible order, and Written Faiths of a Visible Church to be as a Lanthorn to their Paths, and as a Ground of their Faith, so this Light of Christ was preach’t up as a Lanthorn to our Paths, and as the Ground of our Faith, and then (as our Understanding came to be more and more opened) we clearly saw, that as other Churches had outward Marks and Tokens, whereby a man might manifest himself to be a Member of their Church, when received into Society with their Church, so we (who had Believed in the Light of our Lord Jesus Christ, and had the Evidence in our selves, that we were of {First Part 25} the true Brotherhood, and Members of Christ’s Body) were at a loss infallibly to manifest unto others, by any Outward Marks or Tokens, that we were in Reality Members of the true Church: Because this Light (in which we had Believed) did reveal unto us, that those who were but in the Gentile Nature, and had come no further than the Outward Court (that was given to the Gentiles) might have all the Outward Marks and signs of a Member of their Churches, and yet know very little of the washing by the Water of Regeneration, and Sanctification through the Spirit, which every Member of the true Church, that’s Built on the Rock Christ, comes to be Witness of.
And therefore, when our Opposers (who professed not the Truth) would reflect upon us on this wise; You are a confused People; you gather not into Church-fellowships; you have no certain Way to know one another to be Members of the Church, as we have. And why do you not put forth your Creed, that so we may know what and how many the Articles of your Faith are, and what you stand for, and what you stand against? The best Answer, that ever (as we could understand) we were capable to give in Truth unto such, was this:
The True Church is in God, who is the Author and Finisher of our Faith; we have believed in the Sufficiency of his Grace, unto which , if we are obedient (according to the respective measures thereof given of God, and Received by us) we then have the Witness of God in our Consciences, giving Evidence, that we are of the True Brotherhood, and of the Church of the First Born, whose Names are written in Heaven, though we do not alleadge any outward Marks and Signes, whereby our Bodies (being Temples wherein the Holy Ghost doth dwell) ought to be accounted within the pale of the true Church. And albeit no Outward Society of Men amongst us, calling themselves the Church, have put any certain number of Articles of Faith, with the Testimony, that every one that professeth himself a Member of the Church of Christ out by so to Believe, or else not be {First Part 26} accounted of the True Church; yet many of our Friends, unto whom the Lord hath given Divine Understanding, have written divers Books (according as the Spirit of the Lord hath moved upon their Hearts) out of which the sound Doctrines we hold, and stand for, may be collected; though others, so reputed may (thorough Weakness) have erred. To conclude as to this particular we further thus testifie.
In the Church of Christ, there are Babes, Young Men, and Fathers; there are the Weak, and the Strong: Suppose a Weak Brothers Faith Differs from his Brethren, must he be account a fool, or an Hipocrite? Nay; Nay, Charity measure not so.
We find this very Case happening amongst the Romans; and what said Paul in that Case? Read Rom. 14.3,4,22,23. and there Paul thus adviseth; Let not him that eateth, dispise him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not, Judge him which eateth; for God hath received him. Who art thou that condemns the another Man’s Servant? To his own Master he standeth or falleth: Hast thou Faith? Have it to thyself. He that doubteth, is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of Faith; and whatsoever is not of Faith, is sin.
Hence ‘it’s evident, the Members of the Church differed in their Faith; he that did eat, was not to be Judged, because he was Received of God; he that did not eat, was so far from being Judged, that the Apostle condemns the very eating, whilest there was a Doubt: though the abstaining from eating, was the Fruit of Weakness.
We now leave it to the Conscience of every Impartial Reader, in the Light of Christ Jesus to weigh and consider, whether it can be Service to the Truth, and agreeable to the meaning of the Spirit at this day, for any person under the name of Quaker, to give forth this Doctrine, ‘tis folly and hipocrisy to profess our selves Members of the True Church, and yet not believe thus, as the True Church believes, though the giver forth {First Part 27} thereof may to this purpose also declare (as to give the publisher thereof his due, he hath) That they never did preach up such a Position as a great Argument to enforce People into their faith.
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